Charles University Faculty of Physical Education and Sport

Faculty of Physical Education and Sport is one of the seventeen faculties based on the venerable Charles University.

Czech higher physical education dates back to the period before World War I. In the beginning, there were various educational courses at the Faculty of Medicine. Efforts of progressive scientists and pedagogues such as prof. Smotlacha, Borovanský, Jirásek, and Weigner led to the Bill of establishing “Tyrš’s State Institute of Physical Education” in 1930. This idea was implemented after the War by forming the “Institute for Education of Physical Education at Charles University”.

In 1948 the Institute was incorporated in the Faculty of Education, out of which, independent Higher School of Education was formed in 1953. A new higher school – “Institute of Physical Education and Sport” was founded in 1953 together with “Research Institute of Physical Education”. Both institutions provided education for pedagogical, scientific, and managing workers who wanted to pursue their careers in the area of physical education and sport science. Within reorganization of higher schools, which took place in 1958, three departments of Higher School of Education were joined to the Institute of Physical Education and Sport. The new formation was joined to Charles University as one of its faculties.